Wrong Way Crash Kills Hillsborough Deputy
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office announce the death of a deputy struck by a wrong-way driver.
Hillsborough Deputy, thirty year old John Robert Kotfila Jr., was killed in a head-on collision with a wrong-way driver.
The crash happened early morning just prior to 3a.m. near the Brandon Mall as Deputy Kotfila departing from Tampa General Hospital during a traffic accident investigation, headed eastbound on Selmon Expressway close to Providence Road.
At the same time, thirty one year old Erik Thomas McBeth was driving the wrong way on the Selmon Expressway and heading directly toward Kotfila.
With no time to avoid the crash, the two vehicles violently collided in a head-on crash. Kotfila was taken to the Hospital but later died as a result of his injuries.
McBeth, the driver of the wrong-way vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene.
A statement from another driver near the crash, said that Deputy Kotfila pulled in front of her car, thereby protecting her from the head-on collision and taking the full force of the impact.
About the Author
Education
Bernard F. Walsh graduated from the University of South Florida before receiving his law degree from Cumberland School of Law in 1978. During law school, he was selected to serve as a research clerk and intern for a Federal Judge and the U.S. Attorney's Office. He was awarded The National Book Awards for Constitutional Law and Professional Responsibility during law school.
Experience
Bernard Walsh devoted the next three years to trial work for the State of Florida. This provided him with the opportunity to concentrate on his trial abilities, with numerous high profile trials concerning serious felony crimes. Since 1982, he has exclusively practiced personal injury law and helped accident victims in and beyond Sarasota and Manatee Counties in Florida.
Mr. Walsh has been listed in Avvo, an attorney rating site, as Superb. LexisNexis/Martindale-Hubbell, an attorneys rating publication, has rated Mr. Walsh as very high legal ability and ethical standards. Mr. Walsh is listed in National Trial Lawyers Association as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and was inducted into Southern Trial Lawyers Association. He has also won the largest playground recoveries, one of the top three motorcycle recoveries, and the second largest daycare center recovery in the State of Florida. He is also a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum is a group of attorneys who have achieved career case successes that include multi-million dollar recoveries, settlements and/or verdicts.
